


You Know You Love Me

by Jack_Wilde



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mild Language, Pretend angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 06:11:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7606756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack_Wilde/pseuds/Jack_Wilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Judy is frustrated because it's taken so long for Nick to tell her that he loves her. When he finally does, Judy decides to toy with his heart a bit to get back at him. Can she hustle the hustler once again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Know You Love Me

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first fic! Just a quick short story that popped into my head while I've been obsessing over Zootopia. Hopefully more will come and my skill will improve. The story is told mostly through Judy's POV but it does switch to Nick's for just a bit. Probably not the best form but hey I'm learning. Also, I'm not entirely sure Judy would do this to Nick, but I thought it was a funny idea. Chalk it up to her watching too many silly romantic comedies. Please enjoy!

It was just after their shift and Nick and Judy were heading out into the plaza as they left the ZPD.

“Judy, can we... talk?”

_Wait. Nick NEVER uses my real name unless it’s important. Cheese and crackers, here it comes! About time too! Gotta play it cool though!_ Somewhere in her head she was sure she could hear herself screaming in girlish delight.

“Sure, Nick...” she replied, glancing at him questioningly. “Is everything okay?”

Nick sat down on a bench and motioned for her to join him. She deftly hopped up next to Nick and fixed her gaze upon this handsome fox whom she was sure was about to confess his love to her.

_Ooh! I am so going to make you pay for making me wait for this you dumb fox. It’s been months!_ Her look, however, was a practiced poker face of friendly concern. She had a great teacher after all.

Nick sighed heavily and had that worried look on his face. His ears were back and his voice was low like he was about to attend his own funeral. The mask was down.

“Judy, you are such an amazing friend to me and the best partner I could ever ask for. I would never want to screw that up, but what I’m about to tell you might do just that. I sincerely hope it doesn’t, and for what it’s worth, I will keep our friendship no matter what you say…”

_Yeah, that’s right Nick. Squirm! After all, I might say no._ She giggled inwardly. _It’s not like I haven’t been sending you every signal in the book._ Nick turned his head and locked eyes with her. _Oooh! Damn those gorgeous green eyes! Stay strong girl!_

“What are you talking about, Nick?” Judy interrupted, a slight quaver in her voice that wasn’t completely acting.

“I’m in love with you, Judy.”

_Oh my God! He finally said it! Can I really do this to him? Errgh! Those fluffing eyes!! Okay, put on a surprised expression…_

He continued, the words rapidly tumbling out, “You are everything to me. You believed in me when no one else would. You inspire me to be the best I can be and I would never be the officer I am today, let alone a decent guy at all, without you. Besides that, you are truly beautiful and smart and strong and sexy and all of the things I could ever want out of life and it just about kills me every day I see you that I can’t pull you close and kiss you until we’re out of breath.”

Judy’s head was reeling. _YES! Oh, Nick!! You sweet goof! No! Stay strong! Give him the ‘I care about you but I’m going to break your heart’ face…_

“Judy, I know it’s a lot to ask of you. The world seems less ready to accept a fox and a bunny as a couple than the both of us as cops and that’s already a stretch to most, but I’ve tried to play it cool for too long. I don’t care about what anybody thinks, and I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you.” He stopped to let her absorb his words. Judy could tell that he was worried. Inwardly she smirked.

“Oh, Nick! Nick I’m so sorry… I should’ve told you!”

“Should’ve told me what?” he asked solemnly, seeming to guess what the next words were.

“I’m already kind of seeing someone.”

_Game. Set. Match. Hopps._

“Oh. I see.” Nick’s mask slammed down into place so fast and hard Judy could swear she heard it like a heavy steel door.

He smiled at her as if it was yesterday and they had never even had this conversation. “Well good for you!” he beamed. “Who’s the lucky bunny?”

Judy looked back at him, still in awe of how Nick could shunt aside her soul-crushing admission. Yes, she was hustling him good and hard right now when all she really wanted to do was jump into his arms and kiss him but damn she wanted to give her fox a little taste of his own medicine. _Her fox. Eeeee! Okay, now to feed him the lifeline. Come on, Nick, figure it out._

“I never said he was a bunny. He’s a fox, actually!” She smiled, fixing Nick with her ‘It’s called a hustle’ face.

Now that the mask was back up, the rational part of Nick’s brain was whirring away again at this recent turn of events. _When would Judy have time to find someone else? There’s no way! Whatever time she doesn’t spend working is split between hanging out with me and sleeping. Hell, I even went with her to Bunny Burrow the last two times she went home so it couldn’t be anyone from there. Certainly not a fox…_

_Waitaminute… She’s hustling me!_

_HAH!! Oh you damn sexy bunny! Think you can swing a scam on your ol’ pal Nick just when I lay my soul out to you? Oh no you don’t! You’re not getting off the hook that easily. Round 2… DING!_

“Really, now? That’s wonderful!" Nick said, smiling. "I guess you’ll be making more trips out to Bunny Burrow on the weekends then. Or will he come out to visit you here?”

Judy was stunned. “Wait… What?” _What is he talking about? How has he not figured this out yet? What other fox was there in her life?_

“Nick, it’s…”

Nick cut her off. “Gideon of course!”

_What?!_ _Oh, FLUFF!! He thinks I’m in love with Gideon. Of course Nick thinks it’s Gideon. He met Gid last time he was in Bunny Burrow. What other fox is there in my life? That one! I am an outrageously stupid bunny and I just hurt Nick. Again!_

“No Nick! Wait!” She reached out to put a paw on Nick's arm but he pulled it away.

“I have to admit, Carrots…” he said, getting up and giving her a ‘happy for you yet sad’ expression.

_Ugh! No! I want ‘Judy’ back! Call me Judy!_

“…Gid’s not the type of guy I’d imagine you falling for but he seems like he’s doing pretty well for himself these days. You two should be happy.”

“Nick! Stop! It’s not…”

“Not a problem, Fluff. I won’t get in the way. Tell your mom and dad I said hello next time you go back to visit him. I’ll see you on Monday.” Nick started walking back to the ZPD, his gait back to the old ‘you can’t touch me’ style, just for added measure.

“Nick!! Damn it, Nick! STOP!!” Judy chased after him.

“What’s wrong, Carrots?” Nick asked, turning.

Judy slid to a stop in front of him and wrung her paws, ears flat against her head in dismay. She looked down and the words fell out of her so fast she could hardly hear herself.

“Nick, it’s you!! You’re the one I meant I’ve been kind of seeing! I was trying to hustle you because it took you so long to tell me that you loved me. This was supposed to be a cute and funny joke and you were supposed to figure out that I was talking about you but it went all wrong. I’m in love with you too, Nick! I want to be with you, but now you probably hate me for playing with your emotions after you told me how you felt and I wouldn’t blame you one bit. Ugh! Why do I keep doing this to you? I’m an idiot and I’m so sorry! You’re so sweet and handsome and funny and God so sexy too and…”

She looked up at him, and Nick’s face was the very definition of a wry smirk. Ear. To. Fluffing. Ear!

“You just hustled me, didn’t you?” she said, deadpan.

“Actually…” Nick drawled, leaning down to come face to face with her. “It’s called a counter-hustle, sweetheart.” He booped Judy’s nose with his finger. “Boom.”

“OOOOH!! Nicholas Wilde!!” Judy growled, leaping up into his arms right there in the ZPD’s plaza. “If I didn’t deserve that so much I’d knock you on your ass!”

“Why, Carrots!” He was still smirking even as he pulled her close. “What would Gideon think?”

“Don’t push your luck, Wilde.” She laughed and snuggled against him.

Nick set her down and held out his hands. When Judy took them he squeezed her paws gently. Nick asked, “Now, shall we try this again?”

Amethyst met emerald as their eyes locked. “Yes, please.”

“Judy?”

“Yes, Nick?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Nick’s face now wore the happiest and most genuine smile Judy had ever seen on him. She felt warmth spread throughout her entire body. _Whew! Take me now you handsome red devil!_

“Now, my lovely bunny, let’s get something to eat to celebrate. All that hustling is making me hu-mmmh.”

Judy jumped up and wrapped her paws around Nick’s neck, raking her fingers through his warm fur, and kissed him hard. He returned it eagerly after a moment of initial shock and stood there, with his new girlfriend in his arms for several long moments not caring who saw them. If they hadn’t been lost in their kiss, they would’ve heard a distant squeal from a certain cheetah.


End file.
